Intermittent-motion apparatus



May 28, 1957 Filed June 27, 1955 S. KARAGEORGIEFF INTERMITTENT-MOTIONAPPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28, 1957 s. KARAGEORGIEFFINTERMITTENT-MOTION APPARATUS 3 Shets-Sheet 2- Filed June 27, 1955 S.KARAG EORGI EFF INTERMITTENT-MOTION APPARATUS May 28, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2'7, 1955 %65 WWI/6.5

U i ed States Patent O 2,793,733 lNTERMITTENT-MOTION APPARATUS StoianKarageorgielf, Clayton, Mo., assignor to Universal Match Corporation,Ferguson, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application June 27, 1955,Serial No. 518,111 8 Claims. '(Cl. 198-19) This invention relates tointermittent-motion apparatus, and with regard to certain more specificfeatures, to straight-line apparatus of this class for indexingworkpieces, assemblies and the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan intermittent-motion Workindexing machine which is capable of handlinga large number of parts or assemblies for intermittent indexingmovement; the provision of apparatus of the class described in whichfrictional resistance is minimized during translatory movements; theprovision of apparatus of the class described which, during dwellperiods, provides for accurate positioning of certain carriers, so thatthe work carried thereby may be accurately operated upon; and theprovision of apparatus of this class which is relatively simple toconstruct, assemble and maintain. Other objects and features will be inpart apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofwhich will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of typical apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a right-end elevation of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 44 of Figs. 1 and5;

Fig. 5 is a left side elevation of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 77 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding viewsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown anumeral 1 a base for carrying a superstructure 3. Numeral 5 indicates anelectrical control box for a control switch-gear, further details ofwhich will not be given, since they form no part of the presentinvention.

Within the base 1 is mounted a motor 7 which drives a suitableintermittent-motion mechanism 9. The drive is through a gear-reductionbox 11 and a clutch and brake assembly 13. A lay shaft is driven from aconnection between 11 and 13 by means of a chain drive 17. Furtherdetails of the parts 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 are not given, since theyalso form no part of the invention per se. It will sutfice to state thatthese parts intermittently drive a vertical shaft 19 from whichintermittent motion is derived for driving the parts which constitutethe invention. Also, the shaft 15 has for its purpose the provision ofmeans for attaching drives to various tools that are to operate uponparts indexed by the apparatus. Numeral 21 indicates a coupling betweenshaft 19 and the intermittent-motion mechanism (Fig. 7).

2,793,733 ..P t9 a 28. 1

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, there is shown at numeral 23 abed plate supported upon the base 1 by means of spacing pillars 25. Anapron 27 encloses the space between the base 1 and bed plate 23. On thebed plate 23 is a structure 29 which carries'bearings for four verticalshafts 31', 33, 35,- 37, the last three mentioned being similar. Shaft31 is constituted by a hollow quill 39, through which shaft 19 passes(see Fig. 7). Shaft 19 is coupled to quill 39 by means of a shear pin 41passing through flanges 43 and 45 attached to shaft 19 and quill 39,respectively. The bearings for the quill are shown at 47.

Keyed to the quill is a horizontally disposed doublechain sprocket 49for driving a double roller chain 51. This chain (or flexible connector)passes around said sprocket 49 and around sprockets 53, 55 and 57, keyedrespectively to the shafts 33, 35 and 37. Thus intermittent motionderived by shaft 19 from the intermittentmotion mechanism 9 is deliveredto the chain 51. At suitable intervals along its length the links of thechain 51 are provided with side plates 59 having ears 61, each pair ofears supporting a plate 63 to which by screws 66 is attached achannel-shaped carrier 65 having upper and lower sides 70 and .72 in theform of extensions or flanges. Each carrier 65 has a vertically disposedoutside surface for the attachment of workpieces or assemblies that areto be carried and intermittently moved to and from suitable disposedwork stations located around the apparatus. At these work stations aresuitable tools (not shown) for operating upon the workpieces during thedwell periods which occur between intermittent movements. Custom-madedrives from the shaft 15 for tool operation are supplied by purchasersof the machines. Such drives are notshown because they do not form partof the present invention and are subject to wide variation in form,depending upon the demands of users.

It will be apparent that the carriers 65 cannot be supported alone bythe chain 51, since it is flexible and tends to sag laterally whenweighted, and more particularly if loads are applied to the workpieceson the carriers. Therefore, it is necessary to supply a sup portinggiude for the moving carriers, which however, should not introduce anundue amount of friction during intermittent movements. At the sametime, the guide should form a rigid backing for each carrier duringdwell periods, to absorb thethrust from any tools operating upon thesupported workpieces or assemblies, and to position accurately the partsbeing operated upon.

To the above end the structure 29 is provided with supporting means. Thefirst of these is constituted by a series of channel-shaped anvilsupports 67, arranged in alignment on the sides and ends of themachines. These are fastened to the structure 29, as indicated by thebolts 69. On the top and bottom of each support 67 are bolted rail typeanvils or buttresses 71, 73, respectively. The countersunk holding boltsare indicated at 75. The anvils are provided with aligned outer verticalsurfaces 77, engageable by inner vertical surfaces 79 on the backs ofthe carriers 65, provided the carriers are moved laterally from thepositions shown in Figs. 4 and 6. An upper horizontal surface 81 onanvil 71 is engageable by an upper inner horizontal surface 83 on thecarriers, provided the carriers can be moved down from the positionsshown in Figs. 4 and 6. It will be understood that in the positions ofthe carriers 65 shown in Figs. 4 and 6 there is clearance between themand the anvils 71 and 73, thus eliminating sliding friction duringcarrier movements.

It will be understood that the clearances between the anvils 71, 73 andthe buttressed surfaces of the carriers 65 are small (for example, a fewthousandths of an inch) when the carriers are in clearing and passingpositions relative to the anvils. In order to maintain the carriers 3 65in said clearing positions while moving, the following structure isprovided:

Supported from the superstructure 3 and overhanging the same aremarginally overhanging top plates 85, 87, 89 and 91, to which certainguide assemblies are attached. These assemblies consist of aligned bars93, bolted to said plates by means of bolts 95. Longitudinal corners ofthe bars 93 are beveled to accept angular-1y disposed' pins 97 whichsupport rollers 99. Successive rollers 99 on the bars are staggered, asindicated in Fig. 5. They engage with rails 101, held to the tops of therespective carriers 65 by means of bolts 103.

The lower "margins of the carriers 65 also carry aligned beveled rails105, held by bolts107. The bevels of these rails are engaged bystaggered angled rollers 109, supported on pins 111 extending frombevels of aligned bars 113. Bars 113 are vertically movable on studs115, being supported upon and biased upward by plungers 119 (Fig. 6)located in adjustable threaded sockets 121, threaded into the bed plate23. Each plunger 119 is backed by a spring 123, which is enclosed andbacked by a threaded plug 125. By threadably adjusting the sockets 121in the bed plate 23, the springs 123 may 'be compressed sufficiently topress upward each supporting bar 113. The rollers 109 will force thecarriers 65 and parts assembled thereon upward against gravity to theposition shown in Fig. 4, i. e., with clearance space between all partsof the. carriers and the anvil rails 71 and 73. Heads 117 of studs 115hold the bars 113 captive, in the absence of any series of the carriers65 and their rails 101 and 105. Should any carrier 65 be laterallyloaded with forces in addition to gravity during a dwell period, orlikewise vertically loaded, or both (as by operations of tools on thework carried thereon), the surfaces 79 will engage surfaces 77, orsurface 83 will engage surface 81, or both. This will push down therollers 109 against the bias of springs 123. The loads applied to acarrier need to effect only a slight movement, with slight deflection ofthe chain and slight movement of the corresponding bar 113, in order toplace the carrier in proper position of alignment wit-h adjacentwork-ing tools.

The adjustments of the spring type supporting assemblies 119, 121, 123,125 are preferably such that the forces of the springs 123 only slightlyoverbalance the gravity weight of assembled parts of and carried by thecarrier 65. The result is that during dwell periods the application of aminimum force to the parts carried by a carrier 65 immediately forcesthe carrier against the buttressing anvils 71 and 73, so that theposition of the work on the carrier is at once accurately determined:for operation of the working tools.

For protective purposes, peripheral guard rails 127 are attached,covering the assemblies on the bars 93 and 113, thus exposing to theoutside of the machine only the outside surfaces of the carriers 65. Itwill be understood that at the corners of the machine there are no rails101 and 105, bars 93, 113 or rollers 99, 109. Here the chain issupported by the sprockets only. Consequently, the carriers 65 are freeto angle around the corners of the machine.

Operation is as follows:

Assume that shaft 19 is being intermittently driven from the drive 9,which intermittently drives the sprocket 49 and chain 51, and finallyintermittently drives carriers 65 step by step, with periods of dwellbetween periods of motion. During periods of motion there are nooperating loads applied to the carriers 65, their only loads being theworkpieces or assemblies that they carry. These loads, including theweights of the carriers 65 and their rails 101 and 105 (including somechain load) are supported by the properly adjusted springs 123. Thecarriers move past the anvils 71 and 73 with clearance, beingraised andcentered by the biasing action of rollers 109 toward rollers 99. Sincethe width of each carrier 65 is greater than the distance between threeof the staggered rollers 99 and 109, there is always at least athree-point guide for each rail 101 and 105. The rolling action of therollers 99 and 109 on the rails 101 and 105, respectively, and theclearance between the carriers and the anvils 71 and 73, assures aminimum amount of friction against chain movement.

At dwell points friction ceases to be a problem.

Thrust is then applied to the carriers 65 by reason of the action oftools operating on the work supported thereon. Thrust in general hasdownward and lateral components, with the result that the horizontalsurface 83 engages the horizontal surface 81, and the vertical surfaces79 engage the vertical surfaces 77. -As soon as the operations whichoccur during dwell cease, the thrust ceases accordingly, and the springs123 then again force the carriers up into clearing positions relative tothe anvils '71 and '73. The anti friction rollers 99 and passing rollers109 then become the sole guides for subsequent movement of the carriers65. In view of the above, it will be seen that friction is minimizedduring intermittent movements, while during dwell periods, during whichthrusts are applied, the anvils 71 and 73 provide accurate alignment andsupport for the carriers. The spring-biased angled roller and trackarrangement affords means for floating the carriers for movements, whilealso allowing them to assume predetermined offset positions duringdwell, as determined by the anvils 71, 73.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising an intermittentiy movableflexible connector having periods of dwell, a carrier attached to saidconnector and movable thereby to and from a dwell position at whichworking force transverse to the connector may be applied to the carrier,a fixed buttress arranged to be passed by the carrier at the dwellposition, guide means for the carrier adapted to guide it past saidbuttress without substantial pressure engagement between them, saidguide means including resilient means responsive to said working forceapplied to the carrier to allow movement of the carrier into engagementwith said buttress.

2. Intermittent-motion apparatus made according to claim 1, wherein thecarrier is a vertically disposed channel member, wherein said buttresscomprises fixed rails within the upper and lower sides of the channelmember, and wherein said guide means comprises beveled rails on theupper and lower outside sides of the channel, and upper staggeredangularly related non-resilient rollers engageable by the upper rail andlower staggered angularly related rollers carried upon a lowerresiliently mounted supporting member, said lower rollers having asupporting engagement with said lower rail.

3. Intermittent-motion apparatus made according to claim 2, includingmeans for ad usting the resiliency of the mounting for the supportingmember, whereby the weight of the carrier and parts supported therebymay be only slightly overbalanced.

4-. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising an intermittently movablechain, carriers having upper and lower lateral extensions, said carriersbeing attached between said extensions to said chain and movablethereby, fixed upper and lower anvils respectively located at closespacing relative to at least the upper extension, upper and lowercarrier rails respectively attached to the outsides of the extensions,fixed upper rollers engageable by the upper rails, and resilientlymounted lower rollers engageable by the lower rails.

5. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising an intermittently movablechain, carriers having upper and lower horizontal flanges, said carriersbeing attached between said flanges to said chain and movable thereby toand from dwell positions in which in addition to gravity work ing forcestransverse to the chain may be applied to the carriers, fixed upper andlower anvil rails respectively located at close spacing near eachflange, beveled upper and lower carrier rails respectively attached tothe outsides of the flanges, fixed upper rollers having angled axes andwedgingly engageable by the beveled upper rails, lower rollers havingangled axes and wedgingly engageable by the beveled lower rails, amovable support for said lower rollers, and resilient means biasing saidmovable support in a direction adapted to maintain said wedgingengagements against gravitational forces on the carriers but to moveagainst the bias in response to said additional working forces appliedto the carriers, whereby the carriers move into engagement with saidanvil rails only under said working forces.

6. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising a frame having straightsides and corners, horizontally disposed intermittently movablesprockets at said corners, a horizontally disposed chain carried by saidsprockets, carriers attached to the chain, each carrier having upper andlower horizontal inwardly directed flanges, said carriers being attachedbetween their respective flanges to said chain, upper and lower anvilrails attached along the straight sides only of said frame and locatedat close spacing within the flanges of said carriers, individual upperand lower carrier rails respectively attached to the outsides of thecarriers, fixed upper rollers engageable by said upper rails, lowerrollers engageable by said lower rails, movable supporting means forsaid rollers, and resilient means biasing said movable supporting meansin a direction adapted to maintain said engagements againstgravitational forces on the carriers but to move against the bias inresponse to additional forces applied to the carriers, whereby thecarriers may move into engagement with said anvil rails.

7. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising a frame having straightsides and corners, horizontally disposed intermittently movablesprockets at said corners, a horizontally disposed chain carried by saidsprockets, carriers attached to the chain, each carrier having upper andlower horizontal inwardly directed supporting means, said carriers beingattached to said chain between their respective supporting means, upperand lower anvils attached along the straight sides of said frame andlocated at close spacing within the supporting means of said carriers,individual upper and lower carrier rails respectively attached to theoutsides of the carriers, fixed upper rollers engageable by said upperrails, lower rollers engageable by said lower rails, movable supportingmeans for said lower rollers, and adjustable resilient means biasingsaid movable supporting means in a direction adapted to maintain saidengagements against gravitational forces on the carriers but to moveagainst the bias in response to additional forces applied to thecarriers.

8. Intermittent-motion apparatus comprising a frame having straightsides and corners, horizontally disposed intermittently movablesprockets at said corners, a horizontally disposed chain carried by saidsprockets, carriers attached to the chain, each carrier having upper andlower horizontal inwardly directed flanges, said carriers being attachedbetween their respective flanges to said chain, beveled upper and loweranvil rails attached along the straight sides of said frame and locatedat close spacing Within the flanges of said carriers, beveled individualupper and lower carrier rails respectively attached to the outsides ofthe carriers, fixed upper rollers having angled axes and wedginglyengageable by said upper rails, lower rollers having angled axes andwedgingly engageable by said lower rails, movable supporting means forsaid lower rollers, and adjustable resilient means biasing said movablesupporting means in a direction adapted to maintain said wedgingengagements against gravitational forces on the carriers but to moveagainst the bias in response to additional forces applied to thecarriers, whereby the carriers may move into engagement with said anvilrails.

No references cited.

